The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-26

| on blind and speechiess. followed by her pro-
testing, wondering cousins and tie grumbling
What in the world does il mean, Cocile2D
! cried Laure, at last catching up with her and
! laying a hand on her arm And isn't It too
| funnyF
II don't know what it MEANS" replied Cecile
| hotly, land think it is perfectly disgusting"
| 1t was hard enough to bear the persist ent
| questions and the amazed comment of Tante
and Uncle Marcelus, and the knowing silence of
Laure and Jeanne. But in the evening, when
Mr.. Joseph Marie CASTOR. the small, dark,
shriveled. choleric old Freedman, and lifelong
friend and neighbor, came over to scold and ges-
ticulare, and groan and to launch scarcely yelled
reproaches at herself, poor Cecie angry in
deed. and very wretched
THE Tradin boat has gone to the next
landing six seven miles, down the river, and
Octave has gone with 1t, sir! / commanded. L
everi begged him to come home. but he swore
he would not And who is going to keep my
counts and look after the placer walled the good
uncle. There never w, was such head as
managed everything And now that these new
tangled boilers"
But nothing of this last plant reached Cecile's
ears. She had stolen silently up to her own
room at the mention of the departure of the
Tradin boat. She did not care-of course, she
did not care-where he went what
he did she said 70 herself fiercely; why,
indeed. should she be held RESPONSE
BILE for the foolish escapades of
Octave Gastonl Perhaps. after al-and here a
little chilly sensation crept over her as vision
of pretty plump girl in blue calico gown arose
unbidden her mind, and she remem bered
with a start the smile in Octavss eyes when he
looked down that fair freckled facet At this
point, like many another heroine before her, she
sat down on the edge of her bed and cried; and
then stood up, wrathfully brushing the tears
from her eyes.
She tossed feverishly from side to side in her
white little bed for long time, and thought she
would get to sleep. But sleep is very
friendly to all young creatures. and long before
midnight the soft fringed lids had closed over
the slightly redeemed eyes. and she was dream
in that long coveted white China Grape shawl in
Tante's big amoise. When
Did anything happen? She found herself
standing in the middle of the room shaking
from head to foot. The white moonlight
streamed in through the window across her
little bare feet, and the wind huttered the folds
of her snowy niGht-dress What was it, Her
heart was beating violently and she could hardly
restrain cutlery. But the house perfectly
still, and in the honeysuckle vines outside the
window a hooking bird trilling softly.
After a time she crepr back to bed, with her
rosary her wrist, and lay there, still trem-
bling and counting her beads. A long time
after, she never could tell how long-there was
sudden tumult out in the lane. a rush up the
avenue, banging of doors. hurried steps about
the halls. voices in excited interrogations and ex-
CARNATIONS. She sprang up again. as Laure
burst into the room, followed by Jeanne, who
snrieked. "Cecile, Cecie, the Tradin'-boat has
blown up and Octave is killed."
"Oh, Jeanne. how thoughtless of your cried
Laure reproachfuly as they bent together to
lift little white senseess heap from the floor.
moment. and she presently begged them to leave
her. She would rather be alone she said.
She listened quietly when another messenger
came in to tell how Octave had been seen per-
fecty safe, at all events alive after the explo
sion. and how he had afterwards lost his life
deavoring to rescue young woman who was
employed on the boat From her window she
saw Uncle Marcellus. in the soft mellow moon
light, swing himself into the saddle, with many
puffs aud groans-for it had been twenty years
since he had mounted horse-and ride away.
A 1fN 10 lat In nIf thnr fhar hoor IL
seph- Marie gallop down the lane from Ferms aux
Ifs. And then the hours silently away:
the yellow moonlight faded the gray dawn came
creeping in. Will she ever forget, wonder how
she felt as she stood before her mirror IN the
wan, uncertain morning fastening one of Laures
black dresses about her throat, for she hated the
sight of black. poor child, and had none her
wardrobe; and smoothing straight the rebeilious
little curls that wanted to frolic, usual, her
forehead. 1t was a white, drawn face which
looked back at her out of the mirror-af face from
which all the beauty and brightness had sudden
ly fed.
And then she went slowly down the wide stair
way and across the veranda, and down to the
rose-garden gate where all the household was
anxiously awaiting Uncle Marcellus's return
preached. Even Tante, who yearned over
her. found no words to offer to her strange, dry
eyed sorrow.
All at once there was a noise and dust. and
skurry in the lane. and there was Uncle Mar
celus dismounti ting from his horse with wonderful
spryness, and turning his cheerful red face to-
Its all a d-n lie! liel He's no more dead
than am" he added in French to Tante, who
could not help showing. however. that she had
perfectly understood his initial remark; 1.-The
boat was blown up, but Octave was not hurt by
the explosion. or by his dive in the river after
the girl"
here was Octave himself eallopine up the
gate and fnging himself from his horse He
wore Michael Bares Sunday suit of blue flannel
and his wide cajan hat, and he looked remarka-
bly, bright and handsome as he came smiling
toward the excited group. And then
A limp, black-clad figure lay helpless and
sobbing in his arms!
TanJes fine tact was proverbial But on this
occasion tact needed sweep all the
spectators, black and white. into the house or
picKaninny twins, Joseph Marie and Marcel
lus, so named in honor of the twin sons of
the house, scuttled silently after their mother
and disappeared without even SO much
as backward glance So that by
the time Octave had half led half
carried Ceclle to the bench under the magnolia
and thrown himself his knees before her.
holding her hands in his. the garden over
which the first long level rays of the morning
sun were beginning to stretch, was as still and
deserted lovers tryst.
For me! This for me- Oh, my dear, my
dearl" he cried with sob in his voice, lifting a
fold of her black dress and kissing il rever
entity.
.'Oh, I thought she began and stopped
choked with tears.
But imagine, my love-" he said presently
when they had grown calmer and he sat beside
her with his arm about her still trembling FORM
there was really danger l went up in the
air little way it is true, and came down in the
water; and then saw her close by struggling
poor child
She drew away ever so slightly but he went
"Old Jackson Tarvers young wife. you know,
you saw her yesterday the Tradin' boat
didn't you? and so I brought her ashore with
me- neither of us the worse for little wetting
How those laundering idiots could have brought
up such piece of news | can't conceive. But
them" he added with smile; ~, at least, ought
not to complain"
DO you know, Cecile" he went on more
grayely. ''that am horribly afraid that it is I
who am responsible for the explosion! l was very
tired after measuring calico and weighing sugar
and bacon all day"
Poor boy" she murmured alphabetically.
And when I sat down to smoke and to dream
of Somebody's rose. garden and somebody. per-
hans even then, walking there, / lighted my